At least four gay men have been attacked in Uganda after a newspaper ran a front-page story listing 100 'top' homosexuals with a banner reading 'Hang Them'.

The paper also printed the men's photos and addresses alongside their names.

Since the article was published the four men have had stones thrown at their houses, beaten, and many others have gone into hiding for their own safety.

At least four men have been beaten after Rolling Stone, a Ugandan publication, printed names, pictures and addresses of '100 top' homosexuals in the country

The article, published on October 9 in a Ugandan newspaper called Rolling Stone - not
the American magazine - also claimed that
an unknown but deadly disease was attacking homosexuals in Uganda.

In addition, the piece said that homosexuals will recruit one million children in the next two years by raiding schools - a
common smear used in Uganda.

The paper's managing editor, Giles Muhame, justified the article, and said: '(It was) in the public interest.

'We felt there was need for society to know that such characters exist amongst them.

'Some of them recruit young children into homosexuality, which is bad and need to be exposed.

'They take advantage of poverty to recruit Ugandans. In brief we did
so because homosexuality is illegal, unacceptable and insults our
traditional lifestyle.'

President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni, pictured here with Queen Elizabeth, shelved the controversial ant-homosexual bill, but has come under fire for not protecting Ugandan homosexuals

Members of the gay community named in the article have faced harassment
from friends and neighbours.

Significantly, the publication came out five days before the one-year
anniversary of a controversial legislation which would have imposed the death penalty for some homosexual acts and life in prison for others.

While plans to implement the bill were shelved, on the instruction of President Yoweri Museveni, because of international uproar, homosexuals in Uganda say they have faced a year of harassment.

More than 20 homosexuals have been attacked over the last year in
Uganda, and an additional 17 have been arrested and are in prison, said
Frank Mugisha, the chairman of Sexual Minorities Uganda.

'Before the introduction of the bill in parliament most people did
not mind about our activities' said Patrick Ndede, 27.

'But since then, we are harassed by many
people who hate homosexuality.

'The publicity the bill got made many people come to know about us and they started mistreating us.'

Nelly Kabli, 31, agreed, and said: 'We are an endangered species within our country.

'We are looked at as if we are outcasts. One time I was in a night
club with a friend when someone who knew me pointed at me shouting "There is a gay!"

'People wanted to beat me up but I was saved by a
bouncer who led me out.'

The legislation was drawn up following a visit by leaders of U.S.
conservative Christian ministries who promote therapy they say allows
gays to become heterosexual.

The publication of this article has further threatened homosexuals, and should not have been printed, believes Mugisha.

'Such kind of media should not be allowed in Uganda. It is creating
violence and calling for genocide of sex minorities,' he said.

'The law enforcers and government should come out and protect sex
minorities from such media.'